"the homeless" in Boston (house, live in, centers)

[rockyroad]

I was just wondering how do the numbers of homeless people compare to other big cities like San Francisco and London.

[jake786]

ive heard that boston is usually in the top 5 when it comes to homelessness. LA is always #1, NYC is usually #2, and Chicago, Philly, Indianapolis, San Antonion also are pretty bad. San Francisco is known as having one of the highest percentages of homeless, but its a smaller city

[HowGoesIt]

If I was homeless, I would live in LA or San Diego. I wouldn't want to be a bum in Boston. It's just too damn cold in the winter.

[xS☺B☺s]

I had a business associate from SF visit here in BOS just yesterday. My son and I took him, his wife, and two boys on a short guided walk around in Boston Common, Chinatown, ultimately to South Station.

There was the average contingent of homeless present in the Common that always float up from St Francis house & the HV shelter. My friend from SF was a right-leaning politically minded person and he was specifically asking about homelessness in Boston - essentially asking if we have a homeless problem here. He didn't even notice that we walked right by a crowd of dozen homeless people on our way to the children's playground in the Common. They were essentially invisible to him.

The short answer is yes we have a significant homeless population in Boston, but no it is not as extensive as SF and panhandlers are far less aggressive, in fact often polite.

[LeavingMA]

Originally Posted by HowGoesIt

If I was homeless, I would live in LA or San Diego. I wouldn't want to be a bum in Boston. It's just too damn cold in the winter.

I agree. Much easier to be homeless somewhere warm than cold.

Just from visiting cities I noticed a lot of homeless people in San Francisco. Boston definitely has its fair share also, but of all the cities I've been to I noticed the most in San Fran.

[litlux]

One homeless person I spoke with said that in Boston you will never go hungry or without a bed if you are homeless. He also advised that giving panhandlers money for food or coffee is just a scam since there are plenty of places with free meals and drop in centers with coffee. The money they collect goes to drugs or booze.

I never give the panhandlers any money. I support the shelters instead. Like St. Francis House and the Vet's Shelter. At least that way I know it goes to help them, and maybe encourage them to get into treatment.